Insulating Foundation Walls - Benefits of Using Reflective Foil Bubble Insulation

As new product offerings meet consumers new educated demand, we are seeing dramatic improvements in the way today's homes are insulated. Many of these homes are becoming tightly sealed using a variety of appropriate insulation products.

A major area that is often overlooked however is the concrete foundation wall. A foundation wall without proper insulation or one that is un-insulated can attribute to significant heat loss within the building envelope.

A poorly insulated wall can be the host of many serious issues. The problems can include:

* moisture problems
* radon gas infiltration
* insect infestation


Reflective foil bubble insulation is an excellent foundation wall insulation product to use. Installing a radiant barrier using reflective foil insulation on the exterior or dirt side of a basement wall has many advantages. These include the following:

Insulating the exterior compared to the interior saves on square footage.
Radiant barrier products are impervious to insect infiltration.
Creates vapor and radon barrier eliminating moisture transfer around wall.


Correctly using reflective bubble insulation for foundation walls can help eliminate moisture problems. The moisture is created by the temperature difference between the outside earth around the basement and the basement's interior.

Reflective foil insulation, as with any radiant barrier product, blocks the transfer of radiant heat. Less heat is absorbed through and out of the foundation walls.

Bubble foil insulation, as with any exterior insulation, protects the damp proof coating required for use on the dirt side of the foundation wall while back-filling.

Using reflective foil bubble insulation foil acts as a capillary break that stops moisture intrusion. This creates a thermal bridge that protects the foundation wall from the freeze-thaw cycle that is existent in all cold climates.


Nick Semon is the owner of [http://www.insulationstop.com]Insulationstop.com, a leading online supplier of radiant barrier and reflective foil insulation products. He uses his 15 year experience in the building materials industry to provide information to consumers about better insulation practices. For more information on saving energy visit [http://www.insulateourearth.wordpress.com]InsulateOurEarth.com.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Insulating-Foundation-Walls---Benefits-of-Using-Reflective-Foil-Bubble-Insulation&id=2480086] Insulating Foundation Walls - Benefits of Using Reflective Foil Bubble Insulation

The Best Methods to Install Reflective Foil Insulation Products

Author: Lawrence Cunningham

All you need to know about reflective foil insulation can be found in this article, which provides an overview of the material and its usefulness. When you use reflective foil you are in effect stopping the movement of heat, because foil acts a radiant barrier in summer and winter climates. It has been found that radiant barrier foils works best in summer due to higher temperatures. Heat movement is based on the principle that it tries to move to cooler places, hence when an object's temperature rises, the amount of radiant energy emitted increases at a higher rate.

There has been much research conducted by different bodies to test the best methods to install radiant barrier foil insulation products. The best method as indicated by the research would appear to be putting the foil as close as possible to the heat source.

A tip on purchasing reflective foil for insulation - always buy laminated reflective foil; you will get two or three layers of high reflection foil separated by thin plastic mesh layered between the foil sheets, which will help create a small air space between each layer. These products are immune to dust build up, whereas with single layered radiant barrier foil, dust build up will lessen the performance considerably.

Reflective foil can be used on the slanted undersides of roof rafters and also rolled out on top of attic insulation. For attic purposes use perforated radiant foil to allow for water evaporation to the outside of the house. In winter it is advisable to check the underside of the foil layer for moisture; if moisture collects then increase the number of perforations.

Do not expose your reflective foil insulation to direct sunlight; its excellent radiant energy reflection properties will melt plastic or even start a fire. Stretch the foil tight when installing it, drooping foil will form shallows that catch the full concentration of the sun's rays and may be considered an accident waiting to happen.

Read more about home insulation at: http://www.everyinsulation.com

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